Mylon Le Fevre tells his story of overnight success and later conversion to Christ in a new autobiography from Heritage Builders. Co-written with his wife, Christi, Live Forever recounts the radical change Jesus made in the life of the artist who became a GRAMMY and Dove Award winner.

Le Fevre, who has recorded and performed with Eric Clapton, Elton John, Billy Joel, Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Little Richard, Steve Winwood, Mick Fleetwood and The Who, among others—was serving in the Army when he wrote his first song, "Without Him," which he performed at a gospel convention in Memphis. What he didn’t know at the time was that Elvis Presley was there. Shortly thereafter, Presley recorded the song for his GRAMMY-winning, multi-Platinum album How Great Thou Art, making Le Fevre a wealthy and famous teenager nearly overnight.

Carpentree has announced the winner of its $500 product drawing sponsored prior to last month's International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). Divine Truth Christian Store in LaVista, Neb., won $500 worth of free product.

To qualify, stores needed to place an order between June 3 and June 26. For every $500 ordered, the customer received one entry in the drawing. The winning store had the option to select gifts and décor items from Carpentree's line of framed art decor and gift products.

More than 500 candle manufacturers and suppliers took part in the World Candle Congress in Hollywood, Fla., July 8-11. With record-breaking attendance this year, the tri-annual event attracted manufacturers and suppliers from 30 nations on six continents to exchange information on the opportunities, challenges and innovations impacting the candle industry.

The 2013 Congress was sponsored by the U.S.-based National Candle Association (NCA) and the Latin American Candle Manufacturers Association (ALAFAVE). During the plenary session, the world’s four major candle associations—NCA, ALAFAVE, the Association of European Candle Makers (AECM) and the European Candle Association (ECA)—provided business-climate updates and reviewed key issues facing their members.

Kerusso sales representative Karla Polk was among 24 outstanding field and inside reps recently honored for their service to Logos Bookstores. The reps were nominated by Christian retailers who are members of the Association of Logos Bookstores.

Polk was nominated by Wayne Whiteman of Heavensent Christian Books & Gifts in Las Vegas.

Monkeez Makes a Difference is giving free charity event kits to independent retailers in all of its eight showrooms, including Dallas, Chicago and Minneapolis, during the summer markets.

The educational, charitable program for children in the MVP Brands family is supplying stores with kits that include ideas and materials to plan and host community-building events that will benefit its three charity partners—Samaritan’s Purse, Best Friends Animal Society and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Citing competition from the Internet and dwindling business, a Christian retailer who has served the community in and around Muskegon, Mich., for more than 75 years has announced plans to close this summer.

Hage's Christian and Educational Supplies announced its closing through a Facebook post earlier this month.

"While we do not have a closing date, Hage's will start to put all merchandise on sale starting today at 20%," owner Patrick Ritsema wrote July 15. "We want to thank all of you for your support over the past years. We could not have continued to spread the message of Christ in our community without you—our customers."

Some customers posted on Facebook, including Sally Howell, who noted that she has been shopping at Hage's since "I was a little girl with my parents."

"This is truly a sad day," she said. "I'm going to miss your store and the availability to get good Christian books and music, and the great service you always provided me with. Thank you for the excellent service you have given your customers over the years."

The store was founded as a jewelry store by Thomas and Cora Hage in downtown Muskegon in 1928, The Grand Rapids Press reported. The founders' son, Russ Hage, took the store in a different direction by introducing Bibles and Christian materials.

Russ Hage, Ritsema's grandfather, then purchased the store from his parents in 1958, expanding it with school and education materials. Ritsema, who has been in the family business for 25 years, owns Hage's with his parents, Dave and Maryl Ritsema, who are retired.

"We looked over the past three years and struggled harder and harder to cut our costs," said Ritsema, 40, who told the Press that his employees have been reduced from 15 to five. "The best part of this business for me has been the day-to-day interaction with our customers."

CBA has announced a partnership with Vizant Technologies that will enable the association's members to reduce the costs of accepting credit, debit and prepaid payment cards.

"This partnership will give our members the opportunity to directly increase their profit margins by cutting unnecessary fees," said CBA Director of Membership Michael Regennitter. "This is not a transaction service, but a powerful program to reduce overall transaction costs."

As the exclusive payments advisor to CBA, Vizant will utilize its seven U.S. patents, proprietary analytical processes and thousands of successful client cases to break down the complex interchange rate structure established by card brands. This will reduce the many "acceptance and processing fees" that businesses incur in accepting payment cards, CBA said.

"We are excited about this new opportunity and look forward to working together to benefit the CBA community," said Joseph Bizzarro, CEO of Vizant, the nation's only independent consultancy and advisory firm in the payment card industry. "Through this partnership, we will provide ongoing analytical, consultation and advisory services. Our unique and unequaled expertise will ultimately achieve the most cost-efficient payment card environment that is attainable to benefit CBA members."

The partnership will ensure lowest possible transaction costs regardless of how transactions are processed currently, CBA said. The association's members include independent, regional and national chain retailers as well as more than 500 publishers, record companies, gift companies and other suppliers.